Genus Meconema

Two European species introduced in our area.

Most similar to Shield-backed Katydids, best distinguished from most by combination of smallish pronotum, long slender cerci in male or gently curved stout ovipositor nearly equally abdomen in length in female, nearly even green coloring with cream to brown stripe along middle of back with (only adults) two small but prominent dark markings at rear of top of pronotum, and lack of obvious stridulatory mechanism on adult male tegmina. One species is fully-winged and difficult to confuse with any other, the other species is also easily recognized by comparison with photos.

Youngest nymphs of the two species may not distinguishable from one another, but older nymphs can be distinguished by the size of the wing pads.

Europe; Japan; 2 spp. introduced